Logistics Ship – Mobile Med Units – The Basilisk

The Caldari Basilisk is probably the most overlooked of all the Logistics ships. The reason for this is three-fold. The first being the preveilance of armor fleets in null-sec combat, the restriction of ship bonuses, the higher effective skill requirement, and the general and successful utility of the Scimitar. All of these factors have overshadowed the Basilisk, despite the fact that it has some advantages even over the famed Guardian. First off, let’s review the relevant strengths and weaknesses that the Basilisk has:

Strengths:

150% Bonus to Shield Transport Range per level based on Caldari Cruiser skill.

15% Reduction in Shield Transport capacitor use per level based on Logistics skill.

15% Reduction in Energy Transfer Array capacitor use per level based on Logistics skill.

Role bonus of -50% CPU need for Shield Transporters.

Role bonus of -50% power need for Energy Transfer Arrays.

510 CPU.

25 m3 Drone bay and 25 Mbit/sec bandwidth.

Weaknesses:

192 m/s

2 low slots

0% EM resistance in shield.

For those unfamiliar with the Basilisk, it is good to start with this fact: It is a mirror image of the Guardian. It has the same ship bonuses and the same logsitics bonuses as the Guardian, except that they are applied to shields instead of armor. The only difference is in regards to one of the role bonuses, but aside from that they are flown just like Guardians. For those unfamiliar with Guardians, it means they are NOT meant to work alone, but in groups of at least two or more. I’ve heard of people saying you can make a Basilisk cap stable, but a cap stable Basilisk just can’t compete against the Scimitar in that particular role. So possible, yes.. good idea, no.

One of the first things that you should notice is the massive CPU. This is a big, big deal. A couple years ago, one of the more popular fleets running around were called RR gangs, where everyone straps on a Remote Armor repper and everyone reps everyone else when under attack. Shield Transporters, could not be used for that because of their high CPU requirements. Attempts made to copy RR Armor fleets using shields usually meant that the ships involved would have to drop at least one damage mod for a CPU Co-processor, even on the normally high CPU ships the Caldari fly.

The problem becomes more pronounced when you look at the stats of both Remote Armor Repairers and Shield Transporters. You’ll notice that the CPU for a shield transporter is three times higher than that of a Remote Armor Repairer. Conversely, the powergrid requirements are three times less than a Remote Armor Repairer. That may seem fair, but look again at those values when putting them on a battleship, say a Minmatar Tempest. A Large Remote Armor Repairer takes up only 5% of the total powergrid available to the Tempest, a small fraction. Whereas a Large Shield Transporter, takes up a full 28% of the available CPU just for one! That Large Shield Transporter takes up more CPU than three Tech 2 Artillery Howitzers. Support skills do help improve the ratio, but even if you have all support skills at level 5, shield transporters still take up a disproportionally high amount of CPU.

CCP reviewed this when dealing with both the Basilisk and the Scimitar, and with the Basilisk they gave it much higher CPU, allowing it to mount up to five Large Shield Transporters if configured correctly. With Logistics 5, it is even possible to run all five transporters without running out of cap (so long as you have another Basilisk partner). The 5-1 configuration is pretty common with the professional Incursion runners, but for the typical Incursion player and PVP’er, a 4-2 configuration will serve you better and is safer.

The skills needed to fly a Basilisk also match those of the Guardian. You, of course, can’t even get into the ship without Caldari Cruiser 5, but having Logistics 4 is an absolute minimium. Support skills like Energy Emission Systems and Shield Emission Systems also should be no less that level 4, and I strongly suggest getting them to level 5, as reducing capacitor loss is going to be your top priority.

Large Shield Transporter II
Large Shield Transporter II
Large Shield Transporter II
Large Shield Transporter II
Large S95a Partial Shield Transporter
Large ‘Regard’ I Power Projector

Medium Ancillary Current Router I
Medium Core Defence Field Extender I

Light Shield Maintenance Bot I x5

This particular configuration, found on Battleclinic, is pretty cut and dry. Some things you can change out the Remote Sensor Booster for a Tracking Link depending on the needs of the Incursion fleet you are in and if your EM Shield Compensation skill is at 5, you might be able to save yourself a bit of capacitor by replacing the Tech 2 Photon Scattering Field with a Tech 2 EM Dampening Amplifier. It will cause you to lose a little bit of EM protection, but save you more cap for transfers, if you find yourself lacking (pretty rare).

Large Shield Transporter II
Large Shield Transporter II
Large Shield Transporter II
Large Shield Transporter II
Large ‘Regard’ I Power Projector
Large ‘Regard’ I Power Projector

Medium Ancillary Current Router I
Medium Anti-EM Screen Reinforcer I

Light Shield Maintenance Bot II x5

The above configuration is one I use on a regular basis in Incursions, both Vanguard and Assault sites. This works well because even though I have Logisitics 5, I often run into other Basilisk pilots who don’t have it, and this allows me to operate in a safer manner in fleets as well as be adaptable with capacitor use if I am paired with another Logisitics 5 pilot. One additional thing I would like to add. There is a particular mission that requires you to mine Lyverite, and it’s not uncommon for people to have to mine the stuff at the mission site, so those shield drones can be sometimes switched out for mining ones.

Large Shield Transporter II
Large Shield Transporter II
Large Shield Transporter II
Large Shield Transporter II
Large ‘Regard’ I Power Projector
Large ‘Regard’ I Power Projector

Medium Ancillary Current Router I
Medium Ancillary Current Router I

Light Shield Maintenance Bot II x5

As you will notice, the PVP version of the 4-2 Configuration varies little from the Incursion setup. The downside to this configuration is that you are stuck dropping some protection in order to get some anti-ECM fittings. This fitting may require you to get a CPU or Powergrid implant to fit well. While the Backup sensor array does seem a little weak compared to the Guardian’s ECCM, the final difference is only a few (only 4) points to sensors, plus it is active all the time. As best are you are able, make sure to be always moving and either near a gate, or in line with a celestrial for a quick get away. And be sure to remember the value of your ship. It does you no good to lose a 150mil isk Logistics cruiser trying to save a 30mil isk battlecruiser.. or worse.

Now flying one of these things is exactly like flying a Guardian. Never go without another Basilisk and make sure you have a working cap chain. In addition, you have a benefit in that a shield transporter repairs at the beginning of its cycle, which means that the shield transports happen immediately.

Share this:

Like this:

Related

Post navigation

6 thoughts on “Logistics Ship – Mobile Med Units – The Basilisk”

See I’ve used all of these, they are more capable than a Scimi in most situations, but harder to use correctly. The most ignored logi is by FAR the Onieros. Go ahead and find some that got killed on BC, or EvE-Kill. I’ll wait. I’ve got plenty of time.

Well, I think it is fair to say the Oneiros was simply designed badly for the task, so I wouldn’t say ignored. I know quite a lot of people WANT to use them, but the Onerios just wasn’t up the task. The Basilisk on the other hand, prior to Incursions and despite its effectiveness, just wasn’t used. This was especially true, since as you noted, it was easier to utilize the Scimitar..

See to me there’s two kinds of logis, cap chain (Basi/Guard) and Solo (Scimi/Oni) Even Pre-Incursions you saw some basi love, especially in mixed fleets with caps, but for smaller roaming fleets, especially nano fleets the speed advantage of the scimi, combined with its sig radius, made it a better choice. Tacticians have been looking at it more often now, and recognizing it’s toughness and suitability for slugging fleets.

The Oni is a horrendous ship and I’m amazed it has taken this long for it to be addressed. I see it filling a somewhat similar role to the Scimi, although armor gangs don’t exactly nano and the Guardian will continue to be tougher so not sure how high a ceiling it will have popularity wise.

Ya I agree completely, but the only time I ever saw Basis pre Incursion and even after Incursion was on POS reps and the like. I think that was more of a matter of timing because Guardians really started to take off right after the advent of Remote Repping Armor fleets, and I think there was a subconscious feeling that the Basi wasn’t going to be as effective because of how difficult it had been to make an effective RR Shield fleet had been so obvious, despite multiple efforts to make it successful.

One thing to remember is that Nullsec, which used to be the big pusher of tactics, relied heavily on offgrid logi points back in the Snipe BS days. They figured if you are going to be alpha’d or nearly so, you would either warp off when yellow boxed or die like a good soldier. If you warped off you landed where the logis were they topped you up and you went back in.

With Supercap proliferation, the removal of AOE DD attacks and the response changes in tactics from that AND improved logi tactics moving logis on-grid, things have changed a LOT to where every fleet intending to pvp lives and dies by logistics ships. From the Brofist/R&K Guardian tactics that dominated low and null for a while, to triage tactics, to the current mix of fast and slow gangs bouncing around, things have gotten quite interesting, and the Oni will add new wrinkles to the fabric of EvE for sure.